Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-07-14
ONE HASTY WORD.

ONE HASTY WORD.
Mrs. Cudleigh looked up from her
work and sighed. The moonlight was
pouring into the humble room, filling it
with glory, and shone upon the fair hair
of her little boy Bonnie playing on the
floor.
Berenice Cudleigh had married while
a young girl a bluff hearted sailor, a
handsome, quick-tempered fellow, who
liked to have his own way, and was very
proud of his little boy Bonnie.
She was thinking tonight of their
parting three years ago, and blamed her
self for having sent him away in anger.
She half feared he would never come
back.
On the morning he went away Berenice
was busy preparing his outfit, when he
came to her and asked her for paper o.
importance, a promissory note he had
given her to take care of. After hasty
search she declared she could not find it.
"But [ gave it to you," said the hus-
band. II always give you things | want
taken care Of"
"a foolish habit, too," retorted Beren-
ice spitefully. "Why not take care of
them yourself? And you may hereafter;
| won't have my desk crowded with any
such rubbish" And making good her
words she tossed bho papers she had been
overlooking on llCoI aoor.
''Why, Berry,"t ! began, and then find
ing his voice uns leady, he stopped short
and turned away.H
His wife saw IL instant what she had
done, but with oerversity of a child,
instend of tryin Il } make reparation, as
her kOman's hetr yearned to do, she
made matters worse.
petulantly, pushing the papers away with
her pretty foot. give wasted half the
morning already. You bother me so
wish you were gone"
I'm going now, Berenice, Good-by!"
He did not even turn to look at her, but
strobe from the room and out into the
yard. Bonnie was playing before the
doorway, and Berenice, standing breath
lessly, heard him kiss the child, and say:
"Good-by, little one! Be good boy to
mother; don't forget"
This was the last. When, after mo-
ment of stunned bewilderment, she hur-
ried to the door, he was gone.
Month followed month, year drifted
after year, and Berenice lived, and Benny
grew up TO sturdy lad, never forgetting
his fathers parting command. He was
good boy to his mother; but all his SIM
pie and unaffected devotion, so like his
fathers, could not drive the uns peakable
sorrow from her eyes, or the singing
morse from her heart.
That night as Berenice Cudlelgh sat at
her little boys bedside, thinking of that
parting three years ago, Bennie suddenly
awoke and said:
ooh, mother, what is it; what is it? /
can't tell, but 1 feel something. What
is it, Triton?'' as the the dog pricked up
his ears.
The dog listened again, then he bound
ed to the door and began to scratch and
and sniff beneath it.
ooh, mother! mother!" called Bonnie,
in amazed alright.
She arose with trembling hand and
death-white face.
"Why, my boy, my darling!" she whis-
pered; then she went to the door and
opened it.
Triton stood an instant with his ears
erect and his nose TO the ground, then he
shot off, making great flying leaps, and
utteIing short exultant cries. Impelled
by something stronger than herself
or her own will, Berenice followed him,
and poor affrighted little Ben was left
alone.
Out through the wild, dark plight she
went, down to the bleak, icy cliffs, and
there standing upon the desoiate sands,
his black burly figure sharply defined
against the pale winter sky, she saw the
form of man, with Triton Ieaping and
barking around him, and never pausing,
never stopping to question or wonder,
I, 81
on, until she fell breathless and senseless
at his feet.
When she awoke to life again she was
in the cottage, lying on Bennie's little
bed, with the glimmer of the freight
before her, and Bennie himself was hang
ing over her, patting her cheeks with his
hands ard kissing her vigorously, his blue
eyes shining with look they had never
known before. Then wild, vague hope
thrilled through her, and she started to
her feet with cry that rang above the
din of the storm.
There he stood, bronzed and worn and
changed, but with the same honest eyes,
Ben Cudleigh, her own husband. He
held out his arms, but she went down
PROSTATE at his feet.
"Oh, Ben! Oh, my husband! my dar-
ling! forgive me! know that God has,
because He has give you back to me-"
And Ben, sobbing, ssbbing like wo
man, gathered her up in his strong arms,
kissing her lips wildly.
There's nothing TO forgive, Berry" he
said, at last, when he had command of
his voice, 81 was most to blame; shouldn't
have gone off in a pet. But meant to
come back, but our vessel failed to put
in at any of the ports, and when she took